Getting ready

These are your ASAP items:

• #1 TOP PRIORITY:

Complete and return the Donation and Coaching Agreement online. Click here to launch.

You are not officially enrolled until we receive these forms.

These must be received 48 hours before your first session or we may give your space to someone on our waiting list who has their paperwork submitted.

• Watch the Welcome video on the Members Page.

• Read through this Guide. We recommend printing out the PDF copy of this Guide that came in your Welcome Letter for future reference.

• Create your Member Login. The Group Coaching Team Members Only page is where all your information, updates and weekly videos are located. (This page is only for Group Team Members.)

1. Launch www.GraceSpaces.org

2. Navigate to the Terms & Conditions page (under the “About” tab), scroll down and click the login button at the bottom of the page.

3. Create your account and you will immediately be given access to the Members Only Home Page. 

4. When you return to the login page on any future day follow steps 1 & 2 above and then click the small ‘sign in’ button. You will use the credentials you created.

Before our first session:

• Watch the Week 1 Coaching Focus Video: Recognizing and Navigating Our Grace Spaces. 

  You will find this video on the Members Only home page prior to your first session after January 30th.

• Look for an email with Zoom link 48 hours before each session.

  Subject line:    ZOOM LINK: Week #__ Grace Spaces

• I highly recommend creating a notebook with 8 sections, one for each Coaching Focus (6), one for a hard copy of this Guidebook and one for the journal we’ll introduce the first week… or create something similar on your computer if that works better for you.

• Earphones or earbuds are recommended (though not required) for Zoom calls

• If you are not familiar with group Zoom calls, click here to read and watch a helpful article.

We will practice these skills once we’re online together:

• mute and unmute

• turn your video on and off

• pull up “participant” list and keep it visible

• know how to “raise your hand”

• know how to enter a comment

• Remember that our first session will go 30 minutes longer - 2 hours total.  This gives us our first 30 minutes to sign on, get to know our team and practice our Zoom skills before our first Group Coaching focus time begins.

• Sign in 5-10 minutes prior to your start time to get settled, fix any tech issues and wave to your friends.

• Come to the 1st session prepared to share the scripture you included in your application and ready to share its value to you (one minute max).

expectations

Many of these are covered in the Coaching Agreement, but here are the highlights:

• Come prepared to each session having watched the video. Write down your questions or comments to have on hand in your notebook.

• Keep it real.  I plan to!  Feel the freedom and acceptance to share what’s not working as much as what is. It’s just all learning and we’re all learning together.

• Respond concisely to at least one question during each live session.  I’ll offer a variety of ways to do this to honor various learning styles, but plan to jump in!

• Give others space to respond by keeping your comments authentic but focused.  I’m very comfortable with quiet spaces in a group dialogue that allow others to share who might not always respond quickly.

• Let’s talk Grace Spaces only. Comments regarding politics, current events, services, products or ministries you offer should be shared on your personal social media, not in our conversations or posts.

• Be kind. Treat each other with grace. You will connect with some of your teammates more than others. That’s natural. Just be gracious to everyone.

If…

What if you don’t get an email with the Zoom link for that week’s session?

Since this should come to you 48 hours in advance, email us if you haven’t received your link by the day before your session at admin@gracespaces.org

If you can’t make a session:

First, know that we trust you and we know that you have made every effort to make the session. Email us as far in advance as possible.

Email:  admin@gracespaces.org

SUBJECT LINE: Can’t make session on (date)

Please include the reason for your cancellation.  

Let us know if there’s anything the team can pray for, for you.

We’ll ask for a volunteer from the team to connect with you and share what we covered.

If you are unable to make more than one session, let’s use that as a signpost to stop, look and listen to what that’s telling us:

Is there an issue of timing? Life situations may be changing and this might be more valuable at a later time.

Is this an opportunity to practice better time management?

Are you learning how to prioritize your commitments? 

Whatever it is, we’ll approach it without shame and discover how best for you to move forward.

If you have a confidential situation, an issue with team members or anything that you feel you think is best shared directly with Allison (it can be good stuff too!):

Email Allison directly at allison@gracespaces.org

Don’t hesitate to email me.

If you have an issue with Allison personally that you need to resolve:

1. Email me directly at allison@gracespaces.org and schedule a personal conversation so we can hopefully find a resolution and learn together.

1. After this conversation, if you feel the issue is not resolved, you can email admin@gracespaces.org and request to speak with the pastors who I am relationally connected to and have agreed to mediate these situations.

It is important to me that people have some place to go beyond me if there are Grace Spaces that arise in our relationships.

Hopefully this won’t be needed, but if it is, let’s make the most of it!